Many electrical circuit devices, especially test equipment, such as telephone test sets and the like, must be used in a variety of environments, some of which may subject the devices to severe operating conditions of temperature, moisture and dust. While it is common practice to seal or pot electronic circuit components of such devices in a housing assembly that effectively protects the active circuitry from the environment, the batteries that are customarily used to provide power for such devices, and which require periodic replacement, are usually housed in a readily accessible compartment that is either unsealed or provides an inadequate barrier against the environment. Moreover, when rechargeable batteries are employed for such devices they are not always transported in a protected fashion.
In each of the above circumstances, the unprotected terminal portions of the batteries become exposed to the environment. Depending upon the severity of the environment, such exposure may effectively electrically connect the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals together, thus shorting the battery, which may eventually corrode or cause deterioration of the terminal portion of the battery, including the terminals themselves and the interface between the terminals and the battery casing. Also, intrusion of excessive and caustic moisture (e.g. salt air) onto the battery terminals may electrically bridge the terminals of the battery and deactivate the electrical circuitry which it powers.